Posted on Tue, May. 4, 2010


Pa. legislators join debate over immigration laws

Amid the debate over Arizona's tough new immigration-control law, two Pennsylvania legislators are weighing in. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R., Butler) wants to follow Arizona's lead by giving state and local police the power to enforce federal immigration laws. Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Delaware-Montgomery) wants a bill forbidding the state from doing so, on the grounds that such laws usurp federal authority to regulate immigration and "encourage racial profiling."
Metcalfe, who will present his bill in a live webcast from Harrisburg Tuesday, said his "Arizona-modeled legislation" would help crack down on Pennsylvania's estimated 140,000 illegal immigrants. He said it had the support of at least four other state representatives. Leach is seeking cosponsors for his bill, which would "codify that no Pennsylvania state or local law enforcement agency has any power or obligation" to investigate an individual's immigration status. "To be most effective," Leach said, police need the support of witnesses in their jurisdiction. If witnesses are worried about police monitoring their immigration status, they will be "less likely to cooperate." - Michael Matza


http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20 ... _laws.html